Apartment plan for listed building in Preston set for green light

A grade II listed building looks set to be converted into apartments and a restaurant, after plans were recommended for the green light.

Callaway Estates Ltd has lodged an application to convert the upper floors of the Miller Arcade in Preston into 45 studio apartments with a decked roof garden.

The proposed development would deliver a sustainable development which would preserve, conserve and enhance the heritage designations of a key historic site within the city centre

Planning bosses have now said the project, which also includes a first-floor restaurant, should be given the go-ahead, and experts hope the project will pull the arcade “out of its doldrums.”

A report to next week’s planning committee meeting said the upper floors had been empty for about seven years, and were last used for offices.

It said: “The proposed development would deliver a sustainable development which would preserve, conserve and enhance the heritage designations of a key historic site within the city centre.

“Objections have been considered but the proposed residential uses can be adequately accommodated on the site with measures to control noise and odours from existing uses and the proposed restaurant use.”

The report said the plans included a decked private roof garden for the occupiers, and said about one quarter of the first floor was proposed to become a restaurant above Baluga Bar.

It said the application was to create 38 one-bedroomed apartments and seven two-bedroomed apartments.

Aidan Turner-Bishop, former chairman of the recently-dissolved Preston and South Ribble Civic Trust, said he was pleased with the proposals. He said: “I agree with the plans to convert it, it’s had a difficult history. Miller Arcade needed something doing to it and I would hope the new plans would get it out of its doldrums.”